Gas trap and flow tank



PY E929 w. G, MCMURRAY GAS TRAP AND FLOW TANK Filed sept, 29.

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`I A l I l I l l l 1 1 E Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES i 1,110,178 PATENT ori-leav WILLIAM G. MCMURRAY, OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO M. & V.- TAN K COM- PANY, 0F WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION.

GAS TRAP ANI) FLOW TANK.

Application led September 29, 1927. Serial No. 222,785.

This invention relates to improvements in gas traps and low tanks and more especially to the specific construction and arrangement thereof. a

The general object of the invention is to provide a tank for receiving oil and gas from lowing wells or lpumped wells and for thoroughly separating the oil and gas quickly and expeditiously.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide means for automatically discharging both the oil and gas, at the same time maintaining a predetermined pressure in the tank.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a series of upper and lower baffles, so arranged as to effect a maximum separation of the oil from the' gas, also reduces the rock pressure before-it enters the separator.

Finally the object of the invention is to provide individual oil drains for certain of the baillcs and for conducting the drained oil into a iioat box.

The invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial side and vert-ical sectional view of an oil and gas separator tank embodying the invention.

Figure 2is a top plan view, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lower batlles, the view being taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

Proceeding in accordance with the drawings and wherein different numerals designate the various parts, 1 denotes the shell or tank body of a preferred form of tank in which the invention is embodied. The tank has also a clean-out plate 2, safety valve 4,.

gas outlet pipe 5, pressure valve 6, including a float box 7 having connection with a balance valve 8, the latter bein connected to an oil outlet leading to a stock tank. These various parts while not being a part of the invention, are illustrated for the sake of more clearly understanding the type of separator to which the invention relates.

In the interior of the tank arc arranged a series of upper and lower bales of substantially cone-shape as shown at 10, 11 and 12 and secured to the wall of the separator an around the outlet pipe 5 in the manner show n. The batlles 10 and 12 have a central openlng 13 and 14 and spaced intermediate of these battles is a third battle 11.

Below the baiile 12 are introduced a pluralit of oil and gas inlet pipes 16 for conducting the fluid into the tank from a well. These pipes in the preferred form are formed onto a header 17, the header having connection or being formed integrally with a hollow cylindrical element 18. This element has spaced apart therein a number of smaller bales 19, 20 and 21, of substantially inverted cone shape, eachballc having a central openln 22 and secured to the walls of the cylindrlcal element 18 as shown. Y The bales 23, 24 and 25 are spaced away from the tank walls to permit passage of the gas. Above each of the baffles 19, 20 and 21 are disposed batlles 23, 24 and 25. At the bottom or mouth of the element 18 is suspended a final baffle 26.

The baille 10 has an annular upturned rim 27 formed integrally with a tube 28 and the baiile 12 is connected to a pipe 29 which leads to the float box 7 The baille 12 is slanted as will be seen in Figure 1.. The object of the upturned rim 27 and the slanted position of the baiile 12 is to cause the oil which collects upon the batlles 10 and 12 to be delivered into the oat box 7.

In operation, the oil and gas enters the separator through the pipes 16 and falls upon the baffles in the tubular or cylindrical element 18. As the oil flows downwardly in the direction of the arrows in a sinuous passage itI finally flows over thc rim of the last baille 26. The gas which is released and separated from the oil flows upwardly in the direction of the arrow. The gas Hows through the opening 14 in the baille 12 and asses around the rim of the baille 11, thence t rough the opening 13 to the top of the tank.

What is claimed is:

An oil and gas separator comprising a tank including oil and gas mixture inlets and oil and gas outlets, a series of coneshaped upper battles the alternate ones of which extending completely across said tank and have central perfor-ations therein, and the intermediate ones being spaced from the walls of said tank, a cylindrical element axially positioned within said tank and having its upper end communicating with said oil and ras mixture inlets, a series of lower battles, the alternate ones of which being oi upright and the intermediate ones being of inverted cone shape and enclosed Within said cylindrical element, said inverted battles having Central openings therein and extending completely across between the Walls of said cylindrical element, said upright battles being spaced from the Walls of said cylindri- Cal element to provide a zigzag path for the passage of the oil and gas mixture downwardly from said oil and gas mixture inlets through said cylindrical element, a bottom baffle secured to but spaced from the lower end of said cylindrical element and being of upright cone shape with its periphery extending outwardly beyond the periphery of said cylindrical element to carry the eiland gas mixture outwardly from the cylindrical element permitting the oil to drop ofi' the edge of said bottom baiiie and at the same time permitting' the gasto rise from said bott-om baie and'pass upwardly'around said cylindrical element, said alternate upper batlles providing a zigzag path for said gas, directed upward from said bottom battle, and pipes secured to the outer peripheries of said upright upper battles for draining oil collected during the zigzag passage of the gas through said upper battles.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

WILLIAM G. MCMURRAY. 

